Dad was a Genius - Chapter 15
Only Noblemtl
My Dad Was a Genius Episode 015
Slurp-.
The glass is full of alcohol, but I can’t seem to lift it.
In this heavy and gloomy atmosphere, Jeonnam FC’s coach, Won Gil-yong, finally spoke.
“Coach Yang. Let’s relax a bit. We’ve only played one or two games. Just as there are times when we win, there are also times when we lose.”
Coach Yang, who suffered a shocking defeat in Cheonan, could not raise his head.
The managers who usually had drinks together fought each other on the soccer field and shared defeats and victories, but the atmosphere was never as cold as today.
“Just prepare better next time.”
“Yeah, Coach Yang. The season is starting now, right?”
The directors encouraged Director Yang like that.
But Director Yang was not at all relieved.
“Do you think I’m doing this because I just lost the game?”
Director Yang drank the glass full in one go.
“I just got hit with a hammer and was shocked, that’s why I’m like this.”
It’s shocking… … .
Of course, the shock must have been immense, as they lost to Cheonan, known as the point vending machine, on the first day of the season.
“It’s okay. Sometimes mistakes can happen.”
Director Yang shook his head at Director Kim Seong-il’s words.
“No, sir. It wasn’t my mistake.”
“……what?”
“Did anyone here actually watch that game? I’ve never seen such tactics in my life. I don’t know what the hell that rookie coach did, but it felt like I was stuck in a spider web and couldn’t move.”
Director Yang was still vividly remembering the nightmare from two days ago.
“All the tactics I prepared were seen through, and I changed them later, but the opponent noticed that too and played around with new tactics to fool our defense. They were more terrifying and overwhelming than any team I’ve ever faced.”
The other directors looked displeased at those words.
“Coach Yang. That’s too harsh. Does that mean we’re worse than Cheonan? What do you mean?”
“Honestly, isn’t it because Coach Yang’s tactics are strange that such an accident occurred? No. How on earth did we get beat 5-0 by a team like Cheonan? What’s the point of a guy who can’t even beat a team like that? It’s scarier and more overwhelming?”
Despite the harsh criticism, Director Yang did not get angry but instead burst into laughter.
“The next game was Jeonnam and Cheonan, right? Do your best, Coach Won. I fell because I lacked skill, but I’m sure our great Coach Won will show us something.”
“Huh. It looks like it’s nothing special.”
“Yes. If you come into contact with something that is nothing special, you will feel it deeply. Seeing it with your own eyes and dealing with it directly are completely different.”
widely-!
After putting down the glass he had emptied so cleanly, Director Yang stood up from his seat.
“I’ll go first, senior. Then-.”
“Hey, Director Yang!”
“Um… … !”
When the directors tried to stop Director Yang from leaving the restaurant, Director Kim Sung-il stopped him.
“Leave it alone. Why would that guy do something like that? Cheonan should have been the laughing stock of the world, but Coach Yang and Gangwon are in that situation.”
“Oh my. We are all sorry, Senior.”
“No. But Coach Won. Are you thoroughly prepared? Look at Coach Yang. He ignored the point vending machine and got beat up.”
“Haha. Don’t worry. Our Jeonnam team isn’t a weak team like Gangwon… … And I didn’t let my guard down. I don’t know what that little coach is preparing for us, but he’ll make us lose our minds.”
Although he said he wasn’t letting his guard down, his tone of voice seemed to indicate that he was completely ignoring Cheonan.
“Honestly, isn’t this just an accident?”
“Yeah. Does a score of 5 to 0 against Cheonan make sense?”
“Coach Yang just came up with some weird tactics. When I watched the game, it seemed like they were getting beaten up all day long.”
Not only Director Won, but other directors also did not consider Cheonan a threat.
It was just an accident.
Director Yang just couldn’t do it.
Everyone thought so.
But director Kim Seong-il thought differently.
‘What I saw at the game that day was definitely… … .’
I felt something alien.
In particular, the versatility of tactics that change according to the situation was enough to surprise coach Kim Seong-il.
Usually, when tactics change, players tend to feel confused, but the Cheonan players seemed to have been training all along, so they showed no signs of awkwardness at all.
Of course, there were times when the Cheonan players’ skills seemed lacking.
however,
‘That number 10.’
There was always one person who filled in those shortcomings.
‘That number 10 was practically the core of all tactics.’
The attacking midfielder who wore the number 10 jersey was Kang Dae-ho.
He was Cheonan’s key player and playmaker.
Director Kim remembered the three letters of the name.
It was no coincidence that he scored a hat-trick on the first day of the match.
And the reason Cheonan was able to show such overwhelming performance was not only because of the manager’s tactics, but also because this number 10 played his role very well.
“Yes. This time, Director Won will definitely show us.”
“Do we have to keep watching that rich, well-connected chaebol kid defile the soccer field?”
“I can’t leave a bad example, so please trample on me.”
But no one here is paying any attention to Cheonan’s tactics or the existence of Number 10.
‘It could just be luck.’
Because anything can happen in football.
It could just be that Cheonan was in good condition that day, or maybe it was a stroke of beginner’s luck.
But what if it wasn’t just luck, but the skill of a young director with a lot of money…
“… … .”
Director Kim slowly tilted his glass.
My hands were shaking slightly from the excitement rising from my lower abdomen.
A new storm that occurs in the K-League is always welcome.
‘That way, I can crush it more deliciously.’
Today, for some reason, alcohol tasted sweet.
* * *
[Eunseong-ah. Do you know that hyung loves you a lot? Don’t worry about the next game either, just relax. You’ve already done well enough with your first win. I’ll always be rooting for you.]
[Our pretty little sister! This time, my sister was so nervous that she couldn’t even watch the game. When she feels a little better, I’ll go watch it!]
[Youngest. Fighting in the next game~! But you asked for a subsidy. This time, for what reason… … .]
Warm messages from my brothers and sisters greeted me from the morning.
I barely managed to stop them from throwing a big party after their first win.
Since the players were also prevented from having a company dinner because of the next game, I couldn’t have a party by myself.
Still, it was true that I gained strength thanks to their support.
Should I say that the more I look at them, the cuter they become?
I always felt grateful because I could see that he cared so much for me.
“This achievement is, above all,-.”
It was his father who scored his first hat-trick.
As I expected, once my father’s potential explodes, he will become an unstoppable player.
Scored a hat-trick along with his debut goal.
This became a signal to make my father’s name known in the K-League.
That fact made me very happy.
“Soccer is a game like fishing.”
So today, I cheered myself up and prepared for the next game.
I gave a brief tactical lecture to the coaches and players gathered in the auditorium.
“Because soccer is like fishing, you have to throw the bait.”
I continued, showing the tactical formation I saw on the screen.
“As a simple example, if one player here catches the ball and goes up, the opposing team will form a line and slowly retreat. But what if the player who catches the ball here does not pass but instead breaks through? One of the opposing team’s players who was holding the line will come out to block the rush.”
Then, a space will open on one side to allow for a pass.
“So a player who is good at dribbling is the one who creates space. But what if the player who receives the ball is not good at dribbling? Then other players have to show unconventional movements.”
The pieces on the screen tactics board were seen moving forward and shaking the opponent’s defense.
Then, a space in the middle was revealed that could be used for mid-range shots.
“This is exactly what baiting is, making the opposing defense move in the way we intend. But we didn’t show this very well in the last game.”
The players tilted their heads.
It was a match that they won by a score of 5 to 0.
But do you have any feedback to give?
“There’s something to keep in mind. The reason we were able to beat Gangwon so big was because the opponent let their guard down, and the wedge goal completely broke down their defense. In other words, the more we win, the more thoroughly the opponent tries to prepare.”
Just because we have the tactical advantage doesn’t mean we can always win.
Although we played well in the last game, there were some areas where we were lacking.
If we can complement that, we can become the strongest team.
“Even the next game is away. Especially Jeonnam has a bigger fan base than Gangwon. The fans will try to break our spirit somehow.”
This is exactly what makes away games difficult.
Opposing supporters cheer loudly for the home team, crushing the away team’s morale.
That’s why even good teams often fall behind when they go on away games.
“But I have no doubt that if I give feedback on every game and identify our weaknesses and work on them, we can win any game. I think you have the ability to do that.”
Only then did the players nod their heads as if they understood.
No matter how great a victory you have, there are bound to be areas where you need to provide feedback, and you need to continuously improve on these areas in order to play the game without letting your guard down.
“There is a saying. Off the field, play like a weak team, on the field, play like a strong team. Right now, we need to prepare thoroughly like a weak team, and on the field, play with confidence like a strong team.”
Prepare like a weak team and play like a strong team.
That’s what I want from the players, and that’s the shortcut to becoming a champion.
* * *
“This concludes my explanation.”
After finishing a long tactical explanation in the lecture hall, Cha Seong-eun went out first.
Usually, if an explanation is this long, people would get bored and fall asleep, but no one in the auditorium looked sleepy.
“So this is… … if we shake it here, space will come out?”
Is it because Cha Seong-eun’s voice is so pleasing to the ear, or is it because his tactical explanations are so eloquent?
The players’ eyes were wide open, and the coaches were also excited.
“This is exactly what the coach gave us. He said that if we were to draw aggro here, the defenders would be shaken, but we failed to do so.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to move a little faster.”
“Right. Especially with the center back joining in as you mentioned earlier… … .”
They were huddled together, discussing excitedly, like children playing with a new toy. The players were also gathered behind them, listening and watching.
For a long time, I thought things like soccer tactics were the domain of coaches and were boring.
However, after meeting Cha Seong-eun, the players also became very interested in soccer tactics and reached a level where they understood the detailed details of how they should move.
“… … .”
Meanwhile, Kang Dae-ho, who had written down everything Director Cha Seong had said in a notebook, was sitting alone.
These are the tactics that the manager has been telling everyone, and the feedback we got today.
As if his hard work paid off, Kang Dae-ho also began to see the bigger picture as he watched the tactics laid out by Coach Cha Seong-eun.
‘In the end, my role is important.’
Starting with the 4-3-3 tactic that is used as the main tactic, all players are important in other tactics, but Kang Dae-ho’s play was key.
Especially, something the director always emphasized to Kang Dae-ho.
Just playmaking.
Ultimately, playmaking is all about what kind of bait you throw at the opponent, and if the opponent takes that bait, then whether you pass, break through, or shoot.
The one who held the final key among the players who were quickly rising during the build-up process was Kang Dae-ho.
As I realized that, a terrible pressure weighed on my shoulders.
but,
‘I will never let you down.’
Even though I felt suffocating pressure, my fighting spirit burned hotly.
Enough to burn away all that pressure.
And look at the coaches and players here in the auditorium, reviewing tactics without leaving their seats.
Is there another team so united under one leadership?
I developed a strong belief that they would support me from behind when I was unable to do something.
‘We can win the next game too.’
Because we are already prepared.
It’s in this person named Cha Seong-eun.